Carhampton Wassail
By bonfire light a crowd toasts the oldest apple tree, fires guns to scare off evil spirits and pours cider over its roots at the Butchers Arms.
A small West Somerset village punching above its weight in heritage terms, with a Grade I church of genuine national significance and a revived community pub that now doubles as village shop and cafe, but little else to detain a visitor for long.
Cottages, B&Bs and hotels near Carhampton, Somerset.
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"West Somerset's biggest country fair, held on the lawns below a National Trust castle for its 45th year. Livestock, falconry, crafts, food and a strong argument for leaving the city behind."
Dunster Country Fair
"A proper Exmoor community fair on the recreation ground, with craft displays, a hog roast, beer tent and stalls arranged against the backdrop of some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in England."
Porlock Country Fair
"A tiny Somerset Levels village hall market run by the parish church, serving bacon butties and toasted tea-cakes alongside organic lamb and Burrow Hill cider."
North Curry Produce Market
"A curated destination street market closing the streets of this creative Somerset town for contemporary designers, makers, vintage and street food."
The Frome Independent
"Over 160 years old and still the only one-day agricultural show in the South West with free pedestrian entry, bringing livestock, cheese tasting, craft stalls, Somerset cider and horticultural classes to one showground."
Mid-Somerset Show
"A week of music, dance and song for adults of all abilities at England's national centre for folk arts, tucked into a manor in the Quantock Hills."
Halsway Folk Summer School
"On Guy Fawkes Night itself, locals carry flaming tar-soaked barrels through the crowds outside Ottery St Mary's pubs in a fire custom that has been performed annually on this Devon high street for over 400 years."
Ottery St Mary Tar Barrel Rolling
"Locals shoulder flaming barrels of tar and carry them blazing through the seaside town centre in a fiery survival of an old Devon Bonfire Night custom."
Seaton Tar Barrels
✦ Weird and Wonderful"Villagers ring the church bells discordantly to scare off evil then heave a one-tonne boulder over with crowbars to keep the Devil trapped beneath for another year."
Turning the Devil's Stone
✦ Weird and Wonderful"The night before Christmas Eve, this impossibly pretty Cornish fishing village marks the legend of a man who braved winter storms alone to bring in a catch that saved the whole village from starvation, with lantern processions down harbour lanes and a vast stargazy pie whose fish heads gaze out through the pastry crust."
Tom Bawcock's Eve
✦ Weird and Wonderful"Mummers shrouded head to toe in newspaper strips are led by the Town Crier to perform an ancient sword-fight and resurrection play around the village."
Marshfield Paper Boys Mummers Play
✦ Weird and Wonderful"Lantern-lit crowds gather around the community orchard for an apple-blessing ceremony with Morris dancing, folk song and mulled scrumpy on a cold January night."
Stoke Gabriel Wassail
✦ Weird and Wonderful